AFL GameDay Squad Round 5 Preview | Best Matchups, PODs & Key Trends
- The Goal Practitioner
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
AFL GameDay Squad Round 5 Preview
The AFL GameDay Squad Round 5 Preview is here! G’day legends, back again for another week with the Round 5 preview. This week, the AFL heads to South Australia for Gather Round and, for the first time in a while, all 18 teams are playing—so we don’t have to worry about those bloody byes!
If you haven’t signed up for AFL GameDay Squad yet, now’s the time! Use our exclusive code BOBAFL at sign-up to unlock free packs and kickstart your squad.
Let’s get into the AFL GameDay Squad Round 5 Preview and identify the must-have players for the week!
How did we do last week on the POD challenge?
PODs – How did we go last week?
Clayton Oliver – 119 – Tick
Jesse Hogan – 148 – Big Tick
Jase Burgoyne – 70 – Miss – Played more of a wing role
Kieren Briggs – 104 – Tick (only just, based on other rucks also being average)
Jayden Short – 117 – Tick – No longer a POD!
Another week of 4/5 hits. Beast Mode has been running hot.
AFL GameDay Squad Round 5 Preview - Top 5 PODs
Every round, unique point-of-difference (POD) players can separate the best squads from the pack. Here are five left-field picks to consider:
PODs – Round 5
Jake Soligo
Jordan Ridley
Adam Cerra
Charlie Curnow
Toby Nankervis
Round 5 Matchups – Best Plays by Position
Each round presents fresh opportunities for AFL GameDay Squad coaches to exploit matchups. Here are the top positional matchups for Round 5:
Matchup Targets
Whilst there are some premiums that coaches will be locking in every week regardless of matchup (based on current form this would be someone like Bailey Smith), there is otherwise quite an even spread of players in each position. Choosing based on averages alone can be tricky if matchups are overlooked.
As an example, coaches who backed in Hogan last week based on the matchup against the Eagles were rewarded with a huge score as he booted 9 (should have been 10) goals.
With that in mind, below are some of the favourable matchups for each position in Round 5.
Defenders
Melbourne gave up plenty of points to Geelong defenders last week with a record number of marks being taken. This week, they take on Essendon at Adelaide Oval. Whilst they have got off to a slow start, players like Mason Redman, Jordan Ridley, and Andrew McGrath will be playable options and could return to form.
Fremantle take on Richmond, who have also leaked points to defenders, meaning Luke Ryan and Jordan Clark are likely to be solid picks.
Midfielders
Richmond are also giving up scores to midfielders, meaning Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong could both be selected in many coaches’ sides despite being in the same team.
Geelong are vulnerable in this area and whilst many coaches will go for Jordan Dawson, I also like Jake Soligo this week as he has got off to a hot start to the season.
With news that West Coast have dropped Tim Kelly, expect one of the Carlton midfielders to go big. With his recent run of form, Adam Cerra should be a safe option with a high ceiling—but also consider Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, and George Hewett.
Rucks
Rucks are a wide-open position at the moment. West Coast have been giving up points in this area, meaning Tom De Koning will likely continue his strong form. He may, however, be impacted if Harry McKay and Marc Pittonet come into the team, but I still expect him to be the best ruck for the round.
Another option this week is Toby Nankervis, who has a great matchup with Fremantle, especially with Luke Jackson missing with injury. If you want to take a vanilla pick, Rowan Marshall is likely to be solid against GWS.
Forwards
Whilst they have not been consistent thus far, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow both have an opportunity to go big this week against West Coast. If he gets up the ground, Ben Keays should continue his strong run of form against Geelong.
Matthew Kennedy has been consistent this season with a lowest score of 81 so far and could go well against Brisbane, who are unlikely to tag.
AFL Trends Noticed by BOBS
BOBS keeps an eye on emerging trends to help GameDay Squad coaches get ahead. Here are the key observations from recent rounds:
The biggest trend is St Kilda has changed – they are not a team to play your defenders against. This is a big change and after 4 weeks of data, it’s looking more and more accurate.
The position with the highest bang for buck to watch matchups continues to be rucks.
The Fremantle chip-chip is dead, and it’s killed their elite GDS players. They still offer some value in the right matchups, but as regulars at the start of 2024, they have not brought this into 2025.
Weather & Venue Watch – Key Conditions for Round 5
Before locking in your squad, consider these weather and venue factors that could impact fantasy scoring:
This week the footy heads to the true footballing state, in the perfect month. As a result, the weather is perfect for football. Before you read on: It’s sunny.
Thursday, April 10
Adelaide Crows vs. Geelong Cats
⏰ 7:40 PM ACST | 🏟️ Adelaide Oval
🌡️ 17–30°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Friday, April 11
Collingwood vs. Sydney Swans
⏰ 7:40 PM ACST | 🏟️ Adelaide Oval
🌡️ 15–29°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Saturday, April 12
North Melbourne vs. Gold Coast Suns
⏰ 12:35 PM ACST | 🏟️ Barossa Park, Lyndoch
🌡️ 16–31°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Carlton vs. West Coast Eagles
⏰ 1:20 PM ACST | 🏟️ Adelaide Oval
🌡️ 17–32°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Western Bulldogs vs. Brisbane Lions
⏰ 4:15 PM ACST | 🏟️ Norwood Oval
🌡️ 17–32°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Melbourne vs. Essendon
⏰ 7:35 PM ACST | 🏟️ Adelaide Oval
🌡️ 17–32°C | ☀️ Mostly sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Sunday, April 13
Richmond vs. Fremantle
⏰ 12:35 PM ACST | 🏟️ Barossa Park, Lyndoch
🌡️ 18–33°C | ⛅ Partly cloudy | ☔ 5% chance of rain
St Kilda vs. GWS Giants
⏰ 3:20 PM ACST | 🏟️ Norwood Oval
🌡️ 20–33°C | ☀️ Sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
Port Adelaide vs. Hawthorn
⏰ 7:20 PM ACST | 🏟️ Adelaide Oval
🌡️ 20–33°C | ☀️ Sunny | ☔ 5% chance of rain
⚠️ Please note that weather conditions can change, so it’s advisable to check the latest forecasts closer to the game times for the most accurate information.
Teams and Their Taggers
This will be an evolving area as we see trends develop. We’ve covered which teams employed taggers:
I’m no betting man, but if there was a market for James Jordan to tag Nick Daicos this week, it would be paying 0.99c. He will do a number on Naicos and I will be fading and fading hard.
Marcus Windhager put the clamps on hard in the first quarter to Rozee. This week I’d think Tom Green will be in the crosshairs. I think Green is big and strong enough with enough talent around him to break the tag, but it will mean I’ll fade after starting him last week.
The only reason Toby Bedford is third is that I think he will tag Steele and will be irrelevant to our teams—you just can’t trust him if Bedford plays inside. The risk is he goes for the half-forward flank and gets sent to NWM or Sinclair, which I consider both to be real possibilities. Would be a brave man to fade.
BOBS Early Starter – Team of the Round
Last week, the Team of the Round nailed it! If you played this team, the score of 2,697 would have been enough to WIN Starter.
Another reason to be checking out BOBS each week!
Based on matchups, form, and GameDay Squad strategy, here’s an early look at a high-upside squad for Round 5:
Final Thoughts
Round 5 presents some juicy matchups, high-upside PODs, and key trends to watch. Keep an eye on final team selections and late changes before locking in your squad.
Stay tuned for more insights from Blokes on the Ball, and good luck in GameDay Squad Round 5!
Cheers,
Beast Mode and Goal Practitioner
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